Solar: Municipal Sites

Last updated: 2/23/2021

Planned Solar Panel Installation at six municipal roofs

In Fall 2020, the Select Board signed a Letter of Intent and related documents with Solect Energy regarding Power Purchase Agreements for the Ridley School, the roof of the east wing at the Brookline High School, the Kirrane Aquatic Center, and the Runkle School. Construction is starting at the Ridley and Runkle Schools in late February 2021 and construction should be complete for all four of these sites by the end of 2021.

Two additional locations may be added to the Power Purchase Agreement program to coincide with scheduled roof replacement at the Heath School and Municipal Service Center in the summer of 2021. Once a Select Board public hearing is scheduled (likely in March 2021), that information will be updated here and included in a letter to all property owners and residents or businesses within 300' of the property. 

Additional Information

• Presentation specific to the Heath School community
• Estimated savings for the Heath School & Municipal Service Center (Solect, 2/11/2021)
• Site plans for the Ridley, Runkle, High School, and Kirrane Aquatic center; panels are installed at an angle, no more than 15" off the rooftop surface.
• Example installation including ground-to-roof video at Fitchburg Public Schools. 
• Nearby installations you can visit in person to get a sense of what you can see from the ground include Community Rowing in Brighton, Temple Aliyah in Needham, Roxbury Latin in West Roxbury. 
• Summary memo and tables sent to Select Board on August 7, 2020 for the Ridley, Runkle, High School and Kirrane Aquatic Center
• Power Purchase Agreement & License for Kirrane Aquatics Center Roof (PPA & Licenses is the same language for all sties)

Solar photovoltaic panels owned by the Town are already installed on the Public Heath building and the Putterham Library. 

Solar-Ready Projects

Town Meeting passed a warrant article requiring new municipal buildings to be solar ready. The latest project is the Runkle School, Pierce School, and Brookline High School expansion projects.  

Solar Overlay District

The Town amended its Zoning Bylaw to establish a Solar Overlay District (SOL) in the location of the transfer station as a potential site for a renewable energy facility.